JUDGE RICHMOND ON NATIONAL EDUCATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4215, 23 September 1874, Page 3

JUDGE RICHMOND ON NATIONAL EDUCATION.

His Honor Mr. Justice Richmond, in his charge to the Grand Jury, at the recent sittings of the Supreme Court in Hokitika, said : When the last Circuit Court was held in March he had referred to the recent erection of the County into a Province, and to the subject of education, as one to which the Provincial Legislature would probably deem it their duty at an early date to attend. He was glad to see that the Council had, in its first session, passed an Education Ordinance. As tending to the prevention of crime, the institution of some system of national education appeared to him of vast importance. The view to be taken of the matter was, however, one aspect of a vast subject. In its largest sense education meant the harmonious development of the whole of the human faculties, fitting the individual to become and be all that God and nature intended. So defined education appeared to include or transcend all other concerns and interests, political, economical, aye, even religious, and to be the very business of life itself. Only a small part of this vast interest could in our existing circumstances, or perhaps under any circumstances, be directly taken by the State. ‘ Even that small part could only be dealt with in a spirit of mutual conception and forbearance; of wise and charitable compromise. Let it be considered what were the questions involved. Religion —what is it; even whether there be such a thing, whether it can be taught—how can it be taught—what are the functions of the State—whether it is or is not the Sovereign form of human society—whether the church (as understood by this or that denomination) is the fiction of priests or a Divine reality ? Barely to name these points, shows the tremendous nature of the differences which exist between men on this subject. We are treading on treacherous ashes beneath which lurk the fires of controversy in every discussion upon the question of national education. The subject was one on which every one must be prepared to concede something if we are to have any common action. Viewing this common action as of the utmost importance to our well-being as a community, he rejoiced to see that some measure of agreement had been attained. Let it not, however, from anything said, be supposed that he regarded such instruction as common schools could give, as a panacea for the diseases of the body politic or as doing more than tend towards the diminution of crime. There were melancholy examples within the knowledge of every man, in which the highest culture of intellect and taste had proved impotent to save the possessor from becoming the slave of the grossest propensities of our nature. And vice, private vice, “ selfregarding” vice, as it is sometimes falsely termed, was ever apt to lead to crime. But, on the other hand, the most rigid advocate of a purely religious culture would allow, that even his ends are unattainable without some measure of what is called secular knowledge. No one would say that he was putting the value of such knowledge too high in saying this much ; and in this age of the world some degree of education appeared to be practically an indispensable condition of virtuous conduct. The grossly ignorant were, to say the least of it, at a fearful disadvantage in these days; exposed to all the evils and temptations of a high civilisation, and unable to use, or feel its best counteracting influences. The vacant intellect was a terrible danger. The common enemy was ever ready to sow with tares these vacated fallow fields. Evil spirits thronged to take possession of every such vacant tenement. Again, therefore, gentlemen (said his Honor) I congratulate you on what has already been accomplished in the promotion of this great interest of education. I congratulate you on the spirit of wise accommodation visible on the face of the provisions of the new law. It is to be hoped that the same spirit will animate all parties ■in the practical working of the measure, that the ground which has been gained will bo kept; or better still, that the present measure may lead in due time to something more complete and satisfactory.